MOORE’S  RURAL  NEW-YORKER. 
"DOWN  SOUTH.” 
Diary  and  Notes  of  an  Ex-EUItor  Seeking  ’ 
Health.  I 
-  I 
BY  CHAEI.E8  D.  BKAODON. 
Jaoksonviile,  Fla.,  Feb.  5. — Hti-awberries  iu 
market — Wilson’s  ;  only  colored,  not  ripe  ;  Sfl  per 
quart.  Oronm  40  to  100  miles  up  the  river. 
“  StrawbeiTies  are  never  cheap  here;  they 
bring  too  much  North,  and  there  are  not  enough 
gi’owera  in  proportion  to  the  consuiners.”  So  j 
said  an  old  resident  (o  me  today. 
In  Deceml.Mjr  1  saw,  a  couple  of  miles  down 
the  river,  strawberry  vines  iu  bloom.  Since  that 
time,  however,  there  haa  been  frost  enough  here 
to  destroy  that  promise  of  a  crop.  Ves,  they 
were  growing  in  this  white  sand,  which  is  the 
prevailing  feature  of  this  city  amd  neighborhood ; 
but  there  was  a  mixture  of  “muck"  from  Die 
swamp  In  It.  _ 
One  day  1  w  as  riding  around  Jacksonville  with 
a  gentleman  who,  has  lived  hereabouts  thhdy 
year's.  As  we  drove  through  the  best  built  ixir- 
Don  of  the  city,  he  said.  “  I  can  remember  when 
all  this  was  hammock." 
“This,  then,  is  hammock  laud  ?”  I  asked. 
•‘Yes." 
Be  it  known — it  is  generally  known  by  any  one 
who  has  Uved  in  Florida  a  week — that  the  lands 
of  Florida  ai-e  divided  into  two  grand  divis¬ 
ions,  known,  sui>erticiaUy,  us  “  Hammock  "  and 
“Pine"  lands.  When  a  man  talks  to  us  about 
“Pine"  lands  we  understand  him;  but  a  raw 
Northerner,  liko  myself,  does  not  master  the 
“Hammock"  so  rcutUly.  I  left  my  “Una¬ 
bridged  ”  at  the  liUKAi.  olHoe  and  never  carry  a 
pocket  dictionai'y ;  hence  I  had  to  expose  my 
ignorance  and  ask,  '  ‘  What  are  ■  Hammock  ' 
lauds?  What  distinguishes  them  Irom  “Pine* 
lauds  ?" 
“Why,  they  are  the  lauds  upon  which  hard¬ 
wood  timber  grows — such  as  the  Oaks,  Ash, 
Maple,  etc." 
I  have  asked  the  same  question  many  times 
since,  and  the  result  is  that  "  Hammock  lands 
are  those  njiou  which  there  is  a  growDx  of  decid¬ 
uous  timber,  as  well  as  the  har'd-wood  Ever¬ 
greens.  Why  they  are  culled  ‘‘Haamnock" 
lands  I  have  been  unable  to  learn.  There  may 
be,  of  eom'se,  a.s  many  varieties  of  soil  Included 
in  these  “Hammock"  lauds  as  there  are  in  our 
hard-wood  lauds  North.  They  are  esteemed 
more  highly  than  the  Pine  "  — especially  for 
Orange  culture.  _ 
One  gentleman  from  a  Northern  8tate,  who 
had  treveled  through  Florida  considerably,  hs- 
teuiug  to  Die  above  conversation,  said,  “There 
may  be  a  ibfferetice  in  the  productive  power  of 
‘  Hammock  ’  and  •  Pine  ’  soils,  but  I  don’t  see 
why  tliei'iH  should  be-  the  whole  State  is  a  sand¬ 
bank,  any  way." 
The  impression  made  upon  most  trui  elej  s  who 
see  superAciidly  only  is  like  that  of  the  above 
gentleman.  But  here  is  my  neighlior  the  Aider- 
man,  who  has  a  fai-m,  only  three-fourths  of  a 
mile  from  this  city,  of  deep,  white  sand,  and  who 
talks  to  me  of  a  stiff  clay  soil  with  iron  iu  it 
which  he  “plows  up  in  lumps.’’  I  accept  the 
clay,  but  not  the  iron. 
One  thing  is  never  refused  here  by  any  man 
who  owns  land  that  he  cultivates— that  is,  ma¬ 
nure.  “  Can’t  get  along  without  a  right  smart 
lot  of  manure  on  our  land-s,"  said  the  Aldenuan. 
“  But  guano  is  bad  ;  them  a.s  haa  ti'ied  it  didn’t 
find  it  iirofitable."  1  should  t  hink  not,  indeed ! 
An  item  for  owners  of  Northern  sheep  pas¬ 
tures:  The  Alderman  owns  Die  “villa"  in 
which  I  reside.  It  adjoins  his  own  residence 
and  is  a  part  of  the  homestead  lot.  Tire  other 
morning  he  planted  a  couple  of  rows  of  fig  trees 
between  the  house  and  the  front  fence,  1  no¬ 
ticed  he  planted  one  of  them  out  of  lino  to  avoid 
disturbing  a  big  Mullein,  wliich  is  one  of  four 
growiug  in  our  front  yard— precisely  the  same 
thing  as  those  yellow-llowered  sentinels  of  oiu' 
Northern  pastures.  1  said,  “Alderman,  what 
plants  are  those  which  you  seem  to  cultivate  with 
BO  much  care  ?” 
“  Thera,  sii’,  are  Mulleins— a  vei'y  useful  plant 
indeed,  sir.  We  think  a  great  deal  of  them,  sir.” 
“What  ai'e  they  good  for  ?’’ 
“  We  use  them  for  bathing,  sir.” 
“  Bathing  ?— how  for  bathing  ?’’ 
“  Why,  sii'.  we  takes  the  leaves  and  steeps 
them  in  hot  water,  and  uses  the  steep  to  wash 
any  sore,  wound,  bruise,  or  swelling.  It  is  vei-y 
soothin’  and  healin’.  We  wouldn’t  know  how  to 
do  without  it,” 
“  But  don't  these  plants  grow  wild  here  ?— are 
they  not  common  ?" 
“No,  sir;  the  seed  was  brought  here,  and  I 
never  saw  any  here  except  such  as  was  culti¬ 
vated." 
(In  explanation  of  the  Alderman’s  grammar, 
etc.,  I  may  say  he  is  an  intelligent  and  sensible 
colored  gentleman,  who  does  not  put  on  airs,  and 
who  attends  strictly  to  his  own  business,  j 
Feb.  10.— The  Duval  Co.  Ag.  Society  has  been 
making  strenuous  exertions  to  prepare  the 
grounds,  buildings  and  fixtures  for  the  holding 
of  the  Btate  Fair  here,  which  is  to  commence 
Feh.  22.  It  has  bceu  a  hard  struggle,  judging 
by  the  frantic  apjieals  that  lisvc  been  made 
ridden  early — too  early,  indeed— in  their  third,  or 
even  second  year,  and  are  soon  broken  into  a 
steady  walk  or  canter,  and  to  the  ambling  pace 
which  is  a  special  favorite  with  Arab  riders; 
racing,  an  Arab  amusement  from  time  immem¬ 
orial,  and  the  game  of  “  jerzed,"  a  kind  of  tourn¬ 
ament,  or  mock  fight,  with  blunt  palm  sticks, 
highly  popular  witliout  the  peninsula,  complete 
the  trainhig  as  to  wind  and  pace.  Saddles  are 
seldom  used  iu  Nejd,  and  stirmtJS  never;  but 
both  are  occasionally  employed  in  Hijaz  and 
R,KA'Ji:i-tKlllJ-.K  HAKHOW. 
through  the  papers.  If  the  papers  tell  the 
truth,  Florida,  outside  of  .lacksonville,  is  wide 
awake  to  the  importance  of  making  a  grand  ex¬ 
hibit  of  its  industrial  resources  here.  The  fact 
is,  it  is  to  be  a  scraping  together  of  the  best  ex¬ 
hibit  tlic  owners  of  land  grants,  real  estate 
dealers  and  land  speculators,  together  with  the 
legitimate  fruit  growers  and  farmers,  can  make. 
'I'liat  is  what  I.  witli  otlier  Northern  men,  ex¬ 
pect.  prunarily ;  and  if  it  don’t  prove  so,  we 
shall  be  very  likely  to  think  it  a  failure  ;  for  that 
is  jiftt  what  we  are  going  to  this  Fair  to  see ; 
and  you  sliall  Imar  whether  we  are  disapisiinti-d 
or  not.  _ 
Don’t  believe  as  mnoh  Northern  money  has 
been  spent  hero  this  as  some  jircvious  floasons. 
The  proportion  of  jileasiu-t-Boekers  and  those 
who  come  here  simply  to  escape  cold  weather 
and  kill  time  is  not  as  great,  I  am  told,  as  hith¬ 
erto.  There  are  more  invaiids  ;  and  these  latter 
are  not  always  rich,  as  they  need  to  be  here. 
Fab.  14.  It  is  really  settled  spring  weather. 
Peaches  and  plums  are  nearly  out  of  bloom  ;  all 
deciduous  trees  are  making  rapid  growth.  Here 
1)V  mv  window  is  a  bunch  of  my  old  friend  Sdutbti- 
rii-f  Canudenniti  (which,  by  the  way,  is  cultivated 
here  as  an  ornan*onlal  plant),  which  has  a  ne.w 
growth  of  twQ  feet.  The  Mulbi-nies  seem  in 
nearly  full  sunimef  foUage.  The  pi'essing  query 
upoir  me  as  1  travel  ilrrough  the  markets  is, 
Where  ar'e  the  Florida  truck  gardeners!  Pre¬ 
cious  few  tokens- and  those  rrrost  miserable  ones 
—of  their  existence  can  be  seen.  But  I  may  yet 
learn  where  to  look  for'  them. 
®ljf  Ijorsimau. 
AEAB  HORSES. 
Tkk  ai'ticle  on  Arabia  hr  the  second  volume  of 
the  new  edition  of  the  “  Encyclopedia  Britannica  ” 
is  by  Wilharn  Polgravo,  one  of  tire  first  author¬ 
ities  upon  the  subject.  A  gotsl  portion  of  bis 
article  is  given  to  that  tbeme  of  never-faiUng 
wotrder,  the  Arab  horse.  He  says : 
••  Reared  urrder  air  oireu  shed,  and  early  liabit- 
uated  to  tire  sight  of  man,  to  the  sound  and 
glitter  of  weaixrns  and  to  all  the  accessories  of 
life,  the  colt  gi'ows  up  free  from  vice  or  timidity, 
and  even  acqnu'es  a  degree  of  intelligence  that 
surprises  a  sti'auger.  Barley  and  dates  are  the 
chief  stall  provender  •.  but  the  grass  of  the  past¬ 
ure  gronnds,  in  the  selection  of  which  much  care 
is  taken,  is  the  ordinary  nourishment  of  an  Ar  ab 
horse.  Of  water  the  allowance  is  always  kept 
purposely  scant.  A  good  Nejdes  will  canter  four 
and  twenty  in  smnurer  time  and  eight-and-forty 
in  w’inter  without  once  requii-ing  a  dr-luk.  Raw 
meat,  di'ied.is  oocasioually  given  in  small  quanti¬ 
ties  when  extra  exertion  is  required;  lucerne 
grass  is  employed  for  lowei'ing  the  tone.  Gel¬ 
dings  ai-e  very  rare.  The  color  most  frequently  oo- 
emring  is  gray ;  then  comes  chestnut ;  then  white 
and  sorrel ;  mottled  gray  and  black  are  now  and 
then  to  he  found;  dark  bay  never.  Colts  are 
Yimitni.  Su  it  is,  also,  with  bits,  the  place  of 
which  is  taken  iu  Nejd  by  halter-ropes,  the  real 
gnidairce  of  the  animal  being  almost  wholly  ef¬ 
fected  by  tiro  jrroHsure  of  the  rider’s  leg  andkuee. 
Shoes,  too,  are  of  rar  e  occuranee,  nor  are  they 
needed  in  the  light  sand-mixed  soil  of  the  Central 
provinces;  on  the  other  hand,  the  hoofs  are 
rubbed  witJi  grease,  to  counteract  tire  drying 
effects  of  tire  heated  ground.  Of  all  niceties  of 
gi'ooming,  dircking  and  clipping  excepted,  the 
Arabs  are  masters ;  and  their-  natural  kindness  to 
animals — a  quality  which  they  share  with  most 
Orientals,  together  with  the  care  every  reason- 
abb:  man  bestows  on  a  valuable  article  of  proper¬ 
ty — Inmu'es  to  an  Arab  horse  good  treatment  at 
the  hand  of  its  owner.  But  Arab  horses  do  uot 
commonly  eiite.i'  tente,  nor  play  with  women  and 
children,  nor,  in  a  general  way,  do  they  share  the 
family  meals,  nor  are  they  habitually  kissed  and 
cried  over,  as  the  imagination  or  m-dulity  of 
some  uaiTator  has  suggested,  An  .Arab  fiying 
for  life  has,  indeed,  been  known  to  give  the  only 
Tuoi'sel  of  bread  alxmt  him  to  bis  horse  rather 
than  eat  it  himself— an  act  in  which  self-pre¬ 
servation  had  as  large  a  share  as  affection.  J.,a8t- 
ly,  the  standing  prohibition  of  horse  selling  from 
Nejd  has  really  iiotbing  more  romantic  in  it  tlian 
narrow-minded  appheation  of  the  principles  of 
proteivtive  monoivrly ;  in  other  cases,  reluctance 
to  conclude  a  bargain  amply  indicates  that  the 
offer  made  was  insufficient." 
- - - 
TREATMENT  OF  HORSES  IN  WINTER. 
A  w'RiTEE  in  the  Baltimore  Ti'ade  Review  is  of 
the  opinion  tliat  horses  tlrat  have  been  in  the 
habit  of  running  in  the  pastures  dur-iug  the  sum¬ 
mer  suffer  very  much  during  the  winter,  for  the 
want  of  green  food  to  which  they  have 
become  accustomed.  They  give  evidence  of 
this,  be  says,  (ly  the  loss  of  appetite,  by  be¬ 
coming  Iride-bound,  and  losing  the  glossy  appear¬ 
ance  of  tireir  coals.  When  the  coat  of  an  animal 
loses  its  gloss  and  assumes  a  dry,  duU  appear¬ 
ance;  it  is  sure  indication  that  that  animal 
needs  green  food  or  medicine  capable  of  supply¬ 
ing  the  place  of  gr  een  food.  Green  food  is  much 
to  be  preferred,  for  an  animal  in  such  condition, 
to  medicine,  for  two  reasons,  partly  because  it  is 
cheaper  amd  leas  es  no  bad  after  effects,  and  part¬ 
ly  because  it  is  better,  being  the  remedy  pro¬ 
vided  by  nature,  and  nature  is  always  more  skill¬ 
full  than  ar-t  in  providing  natural  remedies  for 
natural  evils,  just  as  a  gemiine  diamond  is  of 
more  value  tlian  any  paste  imitation.  A  couple 
of  oaiTots,  chopped  up  very  small  and  mixed  witii 
tiie  feed  of  horses,  has  upon  them  a  very  bene¬ 
ficial  effect.  They  are  shghtly  caihartic,  and, 
given  two  or  three  times  a  week  to  horses  stand¬ 
ing  iu  stables  during  the  winter,  they  keep  them 
in  good  condition,  supply  to  a  great  extent  the 
need  of  green  ff>od,  increase  their  appetite,  and 
pi-eveut  their  coats  from  becoming  dry,  dull  and 
hard.  Horses  are  very  fond  of  them.  When  the 
weather  is  dry  and  not  very  windy,  horses  that 
are  not  much  used  should,  in  town,  be  taken  out 
for  exercise  daily,  and,  in  the  oouutry,  should 
diu-ing  the  day  he  allowed  to  run  at  large  in  the 
fields,  or  ^ey  will  become  cramped  and  stiff^  from 
long  standing. 
(!5m“  |rmium 
THE  AVERILL  CHEMICAL  PAINT. 
The  weather-beaten  appearance  of  neglecded 
buildings  is  in  spring  too  often  observable  even 
where  the  best  of  care  has  been  taken.  Severe 
cold-beating  storms  of  snow  and  ice  affect  the 
looks,  if  not  the  durability,  of  everything  ex- 
poseil  to  the  weather.  The  bright  spi'ing-time. 
when  Nature  refurnishes  her  wiirdiobes  and 
cornea  out  in  new  apparel,  is.  therefore,  the  time 
when  fai'Diers  and  honseholdcrs  of  every  class 
ai'c  most  iiiclined  to  imitate  this  laiidahla  exam¬ 
ple.  We  irresitme  that  as  large  a  (iroportion  as 
usual  of  onr  readers  are  preparing  for  sirring 
painting,  either'  of  old  or  new  buildings  and  rm- 
plementfi,  and  to  all  sneh  we  take  pleasur  e  in 
commending  the  paints  made  and  sold  by  the 
Averill  Chemical  Paint  Co.,  No.  32  Biirhng 
Blip.  New  York.  These  paints  are  prepared  for 
use,  and  evei-y  desirable  shade  can  be  selected 
from  a  card,  so  that  buyers  at  a  distuniK'  may 
get  the  color  they  desii'e  as  surely  as  if  thi:y 
were  on  the  sirot  to  examine  and  test.  Theso 
pahits  are  sold  by  lire  gallon,  in  various  sized 
packages  and  at  reduced  prices.  This  paint  gives 
a  bard,  durable  finish,  is  fire  and  water  proof ,  and 
not  halrle  to  wash  by  rains  even  before  dry.  By 
closing  up  every  pore  of  tire  wood,  it  exclutles  all 
water,  tbiia  effectually  presffi'ving  it  from  decay. 
Tbis  chemical  paint  is  also  only  slightly  affected 
by  frost,  for  which  reason  it  retains  its  fresh  ami 
glossy  apirearancc  for  a  long  time.  Among  the 
numerous  recoiinnendatrous  of  tire  Averill  Chem¬ 
ical  Paint  wo  find  tiie  following : 
Editor  ok  IttRAi.  New-Yorker;  —  !  am  much 
gratified  lo  see  jn  your  last  iminber  the  article 
on  the  good  qualities  of  the  .AverUl  Chemical 
Paint,  for  among  tire  many  things  that  cause 
nlc  to  hesitate,  tlio  one,  What  kind  of  paint 
be  used  to  paint  the  house,  barn  arid  fence  ? 
is  the  most  dilficiilt  foi'  most  people  to  ileeide.  1 
was  always  in  that  dilemma  nutrl  1  got  hold  of 
tire  Averill  Chemical,  five  or  six  year  s  ago ;  from 
that  time  I  have  used  that  and  no  other,  and 
would  not  pay  a  man  b>  spread  lead  and  oil  if  he 
would  fm-uish  that  kind  of  paint  i. lead  ami  oil) 
for  nothing :  for  actual  cxianienoe  haa  taught 
me  that  it  is  cheaiwr  to  lay  the  ChomicM  tlian  to 
use  lead  and  oil  paint  if.'as  already  said,  it  was 
given  to  me. 
The  Averill  (ihomical.  in  a  few  hours  after  it  is 
spread,  beconicB  hard  and  smooth  as  a  mirror; 
tlie  weather  has  iio  effect  on  it ;  water  slides  off 
from  it  as  easily  as  It  does  from  a  duck’s  back  ; 
two  coats  of  it  will  cover  better  and  make  every 
wav  a  better  job  than  three  coats  of  the  best  lead 
andoilmada.  N.  W.  Hikkr. 
Westfield.  Nov.  1,  1875. 
From  T,  G.  Yeomans  A  Bon,  (tlie  gi'cat  Nui'- 
scrymen,)  AYalwoitii,  N.  V.,  Nov.,  1375:-  We 
have  used  your  paint  largely  during  the  jrast  aLr 
years,  and’  find  it  oonveurent,  durable,  and  in 
every  way  satisfactory  to  ns. 
lYom  J,  J.  Thomas,  Esq..  Union  Bpriirgs,  N, 
Y, : — I  have  used  tiro  Avei'ill  Paint  at  diffoient 
times  for  the  past  .sere/*  years,  and  find  it  to  cost 
less,  spreail  easier,  cover  more  surface,  and  to  be 
(v4ce  as  durable,  as  any  vvliite  lead  paint.  It  w 
eapecially  valuable  for  luirus  and  oiU-fmildinya, 
finishing  a  cbca(i,  dmable  and  perfect  protec¬ 
tion.- -Nov.  10,  1875. 
From  Rev.  Tho«.  Drvmm  of  Bt,  Mark's  Bcbool, 
Eocbester,  N.  Y.,  April  II,  187.5:— The  paint 
which  I  piu-chascd  of  you  four  years  ago  and 
put  on  my  barns  and  ouldumses,  looks  as  fresh 
luid  glossy  as  if  (mU  on  last  fgH 
Orders  or  inquii'ies  on  tlris  srrbji  ct  nmy  he  ad- 
chesBcd  to  the  Company’s  Agents,  .Messi-s.  Bkeley 
&  Stevens,  No.  .32  Burling  Klip,  New  York,  whose 
advertisement  appears  in  another  coluinu. 
BRADLEY’S  REVERSIBLE  HARRO’W. 
Among  the  many  good  things  manufaetured 
and  sold  by  the  Bradley  Mamitacturing  Co., 
Syracuse.  N.  Y..  we  feel  warranted  iu  saying  that 
their  new  Revei'sible  Harrow  must  take  a  pruiiii- 
nent  position  in  the  large  list  of  agricultural 
labor-saving  machinery.  As  far  as  we  can  judge, 
the  principle  is  aU  right,  and  it  seems  to  supply 
a  want  long  felt  by  agriculturista,  viz.,  a  g(K)d 
Smoothing  HaiTovv  combined  with  a  vertical  or 
straight  tooth.  By  simply  changing  the  team  and 
line  of  draft  from  one  side  of  tire  Irurrow  to  the 
otlier  either  result  is  accouriilished.  This  being 
a  new  implement,  it  is  comparatively  unknown ; 
but  we  are  infonned  by  the  manufacturers  that 
a  trial  of  it  invariably  results  iu  a  sale,  which  is 
good  evidence  that  we  have  uot  over'-estiurated 
its  good  qualities. 
- - ♦"»»  — 
The  Farm  lloi-UiR.  -Very  often  the  neglect  to 
use  a  I'oller  at  just  the  right  time  involves  more 
loss  than  the  cost  of  making  one.  A  roller  can 
be  cheaply  constructed  by  a  farmer  with  a  little 
aid  from  the  blacksmith,  and  if  carefully  housed 
when  not  In  use  it  should  last  for  years.  It  is 
better  to  have  sonre  not  very  heavy  wood  for  the 
roll,  so  as  to  get  sufficient  size  to  mako  it  turn 
easilv  without  being  too  heavy  to  manage.  The 
fraine  should  be  made  hghl  hut  strong,  and  the 
tongue  made  of  the  toughest  kind  of  wood,  as 
this  Is  the  point  where  breakage  is  most  likely  to 
occur. 
